With its segmented body and slim profile that includes a scent channel in the belly,
the Itty Bit Swim’R Lights Out lived up to its name when paired with an ultralight-action
rod like Leland Lure’s TCB rod by B’n’M Fishing. Photo by Madalyn Roberts
Bobby Garland Crappie Baits: Winning with Plastics Suited for Any Application
by Madalyn Roberts
One of the most important things to remember when fishing plastic baits is that a bait producing in the morning may fail to catch fish by lunchtime. It’s then up to a fisherman to determine how the conditions changed and how this change effects their bait selection. Conditions could change several times throughout the day, making switching up bait selection vital to success.
The folks at Bobby Garland live and die by this fact. With their wide selection of baits varying in profile, size and color, Bobby Garland Crappie Baits truly makes everything you need for a successful day on the water. It’s easy to see why professional crappie anglers like Lee Pitts of Center Bluff, Alabama use the brand exclusively.
But let’s be honest. All the options can be a bit overwhelming. So, we’ll break down some of Pitts’ favorite baits and their different applications.
The Itty Bit Series
The best fishermen know when you come across a finicky fish, a tried-and-true way to get their attention is to downsize your bait. Inactive fish that aren’t wanting to chase are going to be looking for something slower and smaller to swallow if they show any interest at all. That’s where the Itty Bit Series plastics come in, which includes: the Itty Bit Mayfly, the Itty Bit Slab Slay’R, the Itty Bit Slab Hunt’R and the Itty Bit Swim’R—all smaller versions of existing baits.
Along with the plastics, the series also includes Itty Bit Jig Heads. A smaller jig head with #6 or #8 hook that originally only came in 1/48- and 1/64-ounce is now also available in 1/16, 1/8 and 1/4 ounce to get the smaller profile baits farther down in the water column. What makes the line great is the continued versatility in presentation options; the Itty Bits are designed to be effective no matter if jigged, pulled, retrieved or twitched under a float.
Targeting Open Water, Suspended Crappie
Bobby Garland pro staffer Lee Pitts’ favorite baits to target these types of fish are the Slab Slayer, the Original Baby Shad, the Baby Shad Swim’R and the Minnow Mind’R because of their versatility. They can all be used to long line, but on any given day, Pitts may change the presentation to a vertical jig, cast and retrieve or suspended under a cork, depending on how the fish are reacting. The Baby Shad remains the number one selling Bobby Garland plastic, and, with their recent introduction of 13 new colors—all inspired by their number-one selling color, Monkey Milk—the Baby Shad is now offered in a whopping 100 colors.
When using any of these bait profiles, Pitts uses a 1/16-ounce jig head at most. Many times, when he finds that deeper crappie are wanting the smaller-profile bait, he will double rig a 1/16-ounce jig on top of a smaller jig with an Itty Bit series plastic. More often than not, with that setup, he says the fish hit the smaller bait. They’re only able to hit it, however, because using the bigger bait on top put the lower smaller bait in the strike zone.
FFS Fans
For anglers who use forward-facing sonar, the Live Roamer is a productive bait you will want in your arsenal. The clean profile accommodates almost all action-based presentations, and its symmetrical body allows for multiple rigging orientations, realistically looking like a dying shad when rigged flat or a lively bait when rigged upright. Pitts advises his favorite way to use the Live Roamer is when dock shooting.
When Fish Go Shallow
Once the crappie start migrating out of the deeper water into shallower areas, the Bobby Garland Stroll’R is the plastic you’ll want to have on your jig head, with bonus points if it’s on a Bobby Garland Head Turn’R Jig Head. Both plastic and jig head are designed to keep the bait swimming high in the water column. The newly developed jig head features free-rotating, dual-willow blades with 360-degree motion creating enhanced flash and vibration to attract fish. The Stroll’R on a Head Turn’R jig head is a deadly combination for either long lining or cast and retrieve.
Selecting The Right Jig Head
Make no mistake, Bobby Garland has a lot of options when it comes to the whole setup, not just plastics inventory. We’ve already mentioned the Head Turn’R if you’re looking for a little extra flare or are trying to keep the bait shallow, and the Itty Bit jig heads when downsizing to the Itty Bit Series plastics. There is also the Crappie Pro Head Dockt’R Shooter Jig Head, which was designed for dock shooting and skipping applications. Then, there’s the Mo-Glo BrushOff Jig Head designed for avoiding snags when fishing in brushpiles.
Despite all the specialty jig heads to choose from, however, Pitts prefers to keep it simple, sticking with the traditional Mo’ Glo Jig Head. He has always had success with blue, pink and chartreuse jig heads, so that’s what he sticks with unless he’s using the Itty Bit Series plastics. In the latter case, he downsizes to the Itty Bit jig heads. For those fishermen who prefer a sickle hook over a J hook, I invite you to investigate the Mo’ Glo Overbite Sickle Jig Head.
It’s always promising when you hear a fisherman tell you they never stray away from a particular brand. In the case of Bobby Garland Crappie Baits, their products have been endlessly tested over the years with remarkable results, and yet they continue to come out with new innovative concepts and designs. That’s the type of company fishermen stand behind.
(Madalyn Roberts is from Kansas City, Missouri but considers herself a southern transplant, having lived in Kentucky for 16 years. She serves her Louisville community by working for a non-profit organization facilitating free home repairs for elderly and disabled homeowners. In her spare time, she enjoys being in the outdoors in all capacities most especially fishing, hiking and camping.)
